Treating Dry Socket

Posted on 10/27/2017 by Kooning Family Dentistry

Getting dry socket following an extraction is not something anyone wants to go through. It is a painful condition that can take a while to overcome. The best way to keep your mouth from going through this is to avoid getting dry socket if you possibly can.

However, for those that get it despite their best efforts to avoid it, there are some things that can be done to treat the issue. Here is how we would help treat a dry socket.

Dry Socket Treatment Protocol

Typically, when dry socket first shows up, it is by way of pain. The pain gets more intense as time goes on. If you catch dry socket early, over the counter pain relievers like ibuprofen are enough to keep the discomfort away.

However, the longer it goes on, the more intense the pain gets. In this case, we may need to put some anesthesia into the socket itself, or prescribe a painkiller to help.

We then typically clean out the socket that was left after the extraction, and we fill it with a medicated paste to help improve the healing of the socket. Then, we bandage up the socket. You will have to come back a few times, in most cases, for us to repeat the treatment. That way, we can be sure the socket is healing properly.

Dry sockets are no fun, but usually they can be avoided. If you do not smoke or use a straw following an extraction, do keep up with your oral hygiene routine, and make sure to eat the right foods, dry sockets can be avoidable.

If you were not so lucky as to avoid one, call us at the first sign of a problem. The sooner we begin treatment, the less distress you will go through during the treatment process.